4 Best Bets To Win 2022 Men’s Australian Open

There is no Novak Djokovic and no Roger Federer at the 2022 men’s Australian Open tennis championship. Rafael Nadal is around, though. Who stands in his way as this tournament moves into the quarterfinals? How will this tournament ultimately unfold? There are so many intriguing possibilities here.

Rafael Nadal

The path for Nadal is manageable if only because Novak Djokovic isn’t in Melbourne due to the Australian government’s decision to deny the Serbian superstar a visa into the country to compete for the fortnight. Nadal has run into Djokovic in multiple Australian Open finals and lost. This is why he has only one Australian Open title. He is searching for a second Aussie Open championship, which would give him at least two titles at all four majors. Djokovic achieved this feat when he won the French Open last year. Nadal plays Denis Shapovalov in the quarterfinals. He should win that match, but it’s hardly a guarantee given how well Shapovalov is playing right now. Nadal’s ultimate test is probably going to come from Daniil Medvedev in the final. Medvedev nearly beat Nadal in the 2019 U.S. Open final, and Medvedev is the reigning U.S. Open champion, clearly the second-best hardcourt player in the world behind Djokovic himself. Nadal is not the top favorite, but he has a great chance to be in the final and compete for the title this Sunday in Australia.

Stefanos Tsitipas

A player who has already made a major final and is in the top six of the world is certainly a threat to win it all. Tsitsipas would not be favored over Medvedev if the two men meet later this week, but Tsitsipas beat Medvedev at the French Open last year and could certainly hold his own against the Russian. Tsitsipas struggled in the second half of the 2021 tennis season, but he has made his way to the quarterfinals and reminded people why he is a legitimate championship contender. He wouldn’t be anyone’s expected choice to win it all, but he certainly has a solid chance with Djokovic not in the field.

Matteo Berrettini

The Italian fought off rising Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz earlier in the tournament, beating him in five sets. Berrettini doesn’t look 100-percent healthy. He needed a medical timeout during one of his early-round matches at this tournament. Yet, the Italian is extremely strong and powerful. He has one of the best serves and one of the best forehands on tour. He has a good draw in the quarterfinals, going up against Gael Monfils. If he wins that match and gets to the semifinals in Melbourne, anything can happen. Like Tsitsipas, he has reached a major final, so he knows what it takes to get to that round. It will be hard to win it all, but Berrettini could certainly reach the final. If you can reach the final, you can win the tournament.

Daniil Medvedev

The key point about Medvedev is that he had back treatment in his fourth-round win over Maxime Cressy. If his back is fine and it holds up throughout the rest of the tournament, Medvedev is still the favorite. If that back betrays him, then it’s Nadal or Tsitsipas who becomes the favorite.